This week Justin, Terry, and Amanda settle in to say goodbye to Ryan. He has been part of the show since it started over three years ago, and it has been an absolute blast. Ryan, you will be terribly missed, and you’ll always be a Dead Robot. Goodbye…

As was mentioned in this week’s episode, Ryan has made the decision to leave the DRS podcast at the end of this year. No animosity or acrimony precipitated this decision, so no one need worry that he’s leaving under anything but good feelings and well wishes. Ryan is an amazing person, and we are going to miss him terribly. He has been part of the podcast since it began over three years ago, always ready with a witty comment and joke, and we know the show won’t be the same without him. Trust me, this isn’t easy on any of us…

If you have something you’d like to say to Ryan, a goodbye or a well wish or especially a jab, please send it in. We’d love to have some emails and voice mails to send him off with. It would mean a lot to us, and I know he’d love it. His last episode will be here before you know it, so please send them in as soon as you can.

“Get a web presence!” they say to me. Okay. I’ll do that. But first, I say “how? What do I have to say?” And a certain other host of the DRS keeps telling me that the neverending stream of s**t coming out of my mouth MIGHT warrant interests on other’s behalf. So, that said, I’m taking his advice, and posting something long overdue:

Mongolian Grill: the perfect bowl

In ancient times, zen masters who were tired of paying for double bowls at Mongolian Grill when their bellies were still empty developed a sacred and precautious technique for stacking double the content into a single bowl. Epitomizing the philosophy of getting “more than you pay for”, they passed these techniques down to many in the surrounding villas and towns. I apparently wasn’t paying attention that day, so I missed the lesson. But a friend of mine, BP, showed me the ancient techniques once more. Now, I’m passing them on to you.

The first part is an acknowledgement; those who know not this technique will think that those who USE this technique are dicks. But they shall be hungry – both intellectually and literally – while you are stuffed full of the goodness that is rock-friend vegetables and meat, and you will be sated for not having to move but more than once. Good on ya!

1) Meat. Get the meat in there, and pack it down. Yeah, their sign says “one meat per customer”, but seriously, with all the cross-contamination that takes place on that block, they aren’t going to check.

2) Fine-cut vegetables. These are fillers, and will close some of the edging gaps on you meat foundation. Use the broccolli, fine cut mushroom, ginger, tomato, etc. Going to green pepper, carrot, water chestnut and the larger mushrooms here is a mistake made by rookies. And you aren’t a rookie (anymore).

3) Sauces. Use your discretion here.

Ready for the part where you’ll get yelled at?

Reverse direction!

4) Larger cut vegetables. Mushrooms, carrot, g.p., etc etc. Now you’re probably getting cussed at because your line cutting. Find lethargic friends not versed in this technique to work as line holders for you!

5) Noodles. By this point, BEFORE the noodles, your bowl should runnith over. Now, noodles are like the haircut on that guy, Kid n’ Play: they stick up on the top. Trust me, friction will hold them there long enough.